Shoe machine for sewing and lasting



July 6, 1943. A. R MORRILL SHOE MACHINE FOR SEWING AND LASTING 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 26, 1941 Inventor Witness m J [9&071

July 6, 1943.

A. R. MORRILL 2,323,347

SHOE MACHINE FOR SEWING AND LA STING Fi'led Sept. 26, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I nv entpr I Witness z MJM} July 6, 1943. A. R. MORRiLL SHOE MACHINE FOR SEWING AND LASTING Filed Sept. 26, 1 941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 4

' Inv entor Witness M .7

SHOE MACHINE FOR SEWING AND LASTING Filed Sept 26, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventai" 4 41432411 T Vifiness f M Patented July 6, 1943 SHOE NIACHINE FOR SEWING AND LASTING Alfred B. Merrill, Beverly,

Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Fleming-' ton, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey A! Application September 26, 1941, Serial No. 412,451

- 13- Claims.

The present invention relates to shoe machines for sewing and lasting, and is herein shown as embodied in an automatic machine for sewing and lasting welt shoes, which is Substantially similar in construction and mode of operation with that illustrated in applicants copending applications Serial No. 364,223 and Serial No. 364,- 222, filed November 4, 1940, for Shoe Machines.

The illustrated machine is of the general type in which the shoe is supported upon a jack, and in which the jack and the operating means are moved relatively to transfer the point Of operation about the shoe, and to change the relative positions of the shoe and the operating means to cause the shoe to be presented properly to the operating means as the point of operation is transferred around the shoe, all of the relative movements of the shoe and the operating means being produced and controlled by automatically acting mechanism.

While the several mechanisms of the present invention are particularly applicable to the shoe machine above referred to, it is to be understood that the invention in its broad aspects is not lim-. ited to use in a fully automatic machine, and also that, except as defined in the claims, the several features of the invention are not limited to any particular construction and arrangement of parts.

The stitch forming and work positioning devices of the illustrated machine include a curved hook needle which strikes into the work at an angle, passing through portions of the welt, upper and insole for sewing together these parts, and a channel guide which engages in a stitch receiving channel provided in the exposed surface of the insole for positioning the work with relation to the sewing mechanism and about which the shoe is tipped and turned during the progress of the sewing operation to present the shoe properly to the sewing mechanism. In order to properly place the line of stitching with respect to the welt and upper, particularly during the formation of the initial and final stitches of the seam at the breast line of the heel, the channel guide is arranged for movement vertically to cause the needle to strike less deep y into the work during the formation of these stitches.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide in an inseam shoe sewing machine arranged for sewing together the welt, insol and upper, a side lasting gripper mechanism which is constructed and arranged to cooperate in a novel and improved manner with the inseam shoe sewing mechanismto cause the lasting ripper to'se cure a firm grip upon and to draw upwardly successive portions of the upper immediately adjacent the sewing point.

In accordance with this object, applicant provides a lasting gripper, comprising jaws constructed and arranged to cooperate with the, welt guideand channel guide ofthe machine in a novel manner to engage with and draw upwardly successive portions of the upper located directly between the welt guide and channel guide, and extending downwardlysubstantially to the base of the sewing rib.

It is another object of the invention to provide in an inseam shoe sewing machine of this general description, an improved and simplified side. lasting mechanism which will operate with ,a reater degr e of efii nfiy a d. certainty than side lasting devices in the prior art, and which may be added to the machine with a minimum complication of the parts in the sewing head.

It is a further object of the invention to provide in an automatic shoe sewing machine of the general type described having a side lasting gripper mechanism and a channel guide verticall adjustable to Vary the depth at which the needl enters the work, a novel and improved control mechanism adapted for automatically controlling the position of the channel guide, and for starting and stopping the operation of the side lasting gripper mechanism at predetermined points during, the transfer of the point of operation about the shoe.

In accordance with this object, applicant provides a cam on the pattern cam shaft of the machine, and linkage connections therefrom which operate to throw the side lasting mechanism out of operation during the progress of the sewing operation about the toe portion of the shoe, and operate further during the formation of the inie tial and final stitches of the seam to position the channel guide in an abnormally depressed position.

With the above noted and other objects in view as may hereinafter appear, the several features of the invention consist in the devices, combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, which together with the advantages to be obtained thereby will be readily understood by one skilled in theart from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in right side elevation of an automatic inseam sewing and side lasting machine illustrating a preferred form of the present invention; Fig. 2

is a detail sectional view in right side elevation illustrating particularly applicants improved side lasting gripper mechanism and the mechanism for controlling the vertical position of the channel guide, the parts being shown in machine stop position; Fig. 3 is a plan view of substantially the parts shown in Fig. 2, portions of the sewing head being broken away for better illustration of the parts; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but with the machine running and with the jaws of the gripper mechanism engaged with the upper and about to start its up-draw stroke; Fig.5 is an enlarged detail View of. the gripper mechanism showing the gripper jaws approaching their bottom position and with their jaws open preparatory to engagement with the upper; Fig. 6 is a detail view in front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic plan view, the grippers and channel guide being shown in section in the position of Fig. 4; Fig. 8 is a view similar to Figs. 2 and 4, but with the parts in the position taken when the gripper mechanism is thrown out of operation during th operation about the toe of the shoe; Fig. 9 is a detail sectional plan view of the cam on the pattern cam shaft and its follower lever for controlling the channel guide and sidelasting gripper mechanism; and Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view illustrating the cam disk and cam tracks therein for operating the side lasting gripper.

The automatic inseam sewing and side lasting machine herein disclosed as embodying the several features of the invention comprises a machine casing built up of a base section II], a middle or column section 12 and. an operating head l4, on which is supported a driving motor l6 for the machine.

The sewing mechanism of the machine mounted in the operating head l4 comprises stitch form- 'ing devices adapted for sewing together theinsole, upper and the welt of a welted shoe while supported on a last, including a curved hooked needle designated at I8, and work positioning devices including a welt guide l9 and a. channel.

guide which is arranged to engage with a stitch receiving channel formed in the exposed surface of the insole for positioning the shoe with relation to the stitch forming devices. The several cooperating instrumentalities of the stitch forming mechanism are not specifically illustrated, inasmuch as any conventional form of. such mechanism may be employed as, for example, that specifically illustrated in applicants copending application Serial No. 364,223, above referredto. The present machine is provided with. a shoe. supporting jack and supporting and actuating. mechanism. for the jack arranged to present the shoe to the sewing mechanism and to automatically transfer the point of operation about the shoe. The lasted shoe, indicated generally at Z2',.is supported. on a.jack 24,,which may be of ordinary construction and is not therefore speci'fically illustrated. The jack is mounted on the upper end of a vertically arranged spindle 26, which. is rotatably and swingably mounted on gimbalbearings in. the outer end of a-horizontally arranged. jacksupporting arm. 28. forming. part of a jack. supporting assembly adapted for im parting turning, and lateral. and longitudinal tipping movements to the shoe about the point of contact of the. shoe withthe channel guide 20..

During the operation on. a shoe, the jack is supported yieldingly upwardly and outwardly to maintain. the point of contact of the'channel. guide with the shoe through connections which include a Vertically arranged jack supporting rod 30, pivotally connected at its upper end to the under side of the horizontally disposed arm 23, and at its lower end to a horizontally arranged control lever 32 which is acted upon by springs 34 to force the jack yieldingly upwardly against the work. A tension spring 35, connected between the downward extension of the spindle and the supporting rod 30, tends to swing the jack outwardly to maintain the channel portion of the shoe in engagement with the channel guide. For moving the jack into and out of operating position, there is provided a toggle connection comprising pivotally connected arms 36, 38, the arm 35 being pivoted at t!) on the machine frame, and the arm 38 being pivotally connected with the control lever 32. Mechanism is provided, but not here shown, which is rendered operative upon the jacking of a shoe, to break the toggle connection 36, 38, so that the jacked shoe is moved yieldingly upwardly into operative relationship with the sewing mechanism, and in stopping the machine, to straighten the toggle mechanism and thereby move the shoe outwardly and away from the sewing mechanism.

In accordance with the usual practice in these machines, the operation of the jack is automatically controlled by means of cams on a vertically arranged pattern cam shaft 44, which is power driven through a driving and stopping. mechanism from the motor IS. The driving and stopping mechanism of the machine is shown generally in dotted lines in Fig. l to include a vertically arranged drive shaft 46, continuously driven from the motor l6, and a main driving clutch comprising a driving element 48 operatively connected with the drive shaft 46, and a driven. element 59 which is connected through appropriate connections to drive the sewing mechanism and also to drive the pattern cam shaft 44. Inasmuch as these parts are fully illustrated in applicants prior application Serial No. 364,223, above referred to, and form specificall'y'no part of the present invention, further illustration thereof has been omitted.

The channel guide 20 of the present machine is arranged to be automatically adjusted vertically with relation to the stitch forming devices including the curved hook needle l8 to vary the. depth at which the needle enters the work during the progress of the sewing operation about the sole margin of the shoe. In the starting position of the machine, the channel guide is located in an abnormally depressed position, and during the formation of the initial stitches of the seam is moved upwardly to its normal position which is maintained during the transfer of the point of operation about the shoe. During the formation of the final stitches of the seam, the channel guide is again moved to its abnormally low position. The movement of the channel guide in this manner serves to compensate for the dislocation of the welt and upper, which may be caused by the bunching of material at the breast line of the heel, and to insure the proper location of the initial and final stitches of the seam on the work for properly securing the leading and terminating portions of the welt to the insole and associated upper at the breast line of the heel.

The channel guide 20 is formed on the lower end of a vertically arranged slide 52 mounted in a guideway 54 in the operating head M. The slide 52 has formed therein a transverse slot 56, through which extends a cross pin 58, which is journalled in the bearings formed in the perating head. An eccentric cam 60, secured to the cross pin 58 is loosely fitted in the slot 56 to permit a limited vertical movement of the slide 52 and channel guide with relation thereto. The cross pin 58 is provided at one end with a slot 68 adapted to receive a screw driver or similar tool, for the convenient adjustment of the normal operating position of the channel guide 20 with relation to the stitch forming devices including the needle I8. Adjustment in the angular position of the cross pin 58 and eccentric cam is made in setting up the machine to bring the bot,- tom edge of the channel guide 20 substantially in a horizontal plane with the lowest portion of the outside edge of the needle I8. The arrangement of the eccentric cam 60 and the slot 56 is such that the slide 52 is permitted a downward movement of a definite amount which for purposes of illustration may be assumed to be about 1%".

In carrying out the invention, applicant provides a side lasting mechanism which cooperates in an improved manner with the channel guide and welt guide of the machine to secure a more certain and efficient operation of the several cooperating mechanisms. A feature of the invention consists in the cooperative arrangement of the grippers with relation to the channel guide and welt guide to permit movement of the jaws, opened to receive between them the edge of the upper, downwardly between the channel guide and welt guide to a level substantially opposite the base of the sewing rib. Applicant has found that reliable and efiicient operation of the grippers is assured only when the jaws are constructed and arranged to move downwardly substantially to the base of the sewing rib to insure a firm gripping engagement with uppers which may have been closely trimmed. Applicant has also found it necessary to maintain the jaws in a widely opened position during downward movement in order to insure the proper location of the loose edge of the upper between the jaws of the gripper. In accordance with the invention,

applicant provides a cooperative arrangement of 1 the welt guide, channel guide and gripper jaws having the operating characteristics above described, in which the gripper jaws are further constructed and arranged to operate directly between the welt guide and channel guide, so that the up-draw movement of the gripper will have no tendency to interfere with the feeding or proper positioning of the shoe.

Other features of the illustrated lasting and gripping mechanism consist in the novel construction and arrangement of the supportin and actuating mechanism for the gripper jaws whereby the number of these parts is substantially reduced, and the entire mechanism is housed within the sewing head.

Applicants improved lasting gripper mechanism comprises specifically a smooth-faced gripper jaw 80 which is arranged to move downwardly and rearwardly between the upper and insole substantially to the base of the sewing rib, and a rough surfaced gripper jaw 82 pivoted to the jaw 80 in such a manner that it is caused to move about its pivot in a generally downward direction which avoids interference with the welt guide to a closed gripping position after the jaws have reached the limit of their downward movement.

As shown in the drawings, the gripper jaw 80 is rigidly secured to the forward end of a carrier cam lever 84 pivotally mounted on a stud 86 which is located somewhat above and a substantial distance rearwardly of the sewing point. A rearwardly extending arm 88 of the carrier cam lever 84' carries a roll 90 which engages within a cam slot 92 formed in one face of a cam disk 94 on the sewing cam shaft 99 of the machine. A tension spring 98 connected at one end to the lever arm 88 and at its other end to a point on the machine frame, tends to maintain the roll 90 at all times in engagement with the outer surface of the cam slot 92. The arrange-' ment of these parts is such as to cause the gripper jaws to be moved downwardly under the influence of the spring 98, and to be moved positively upward through the engagement of the cam roll 90 with the outer surface of the cam slot 92. The inner surface of the cam slot 92 is circular in shape, permitting the carrier cam lever 84 to be rocked positively to the inoperative position shown in Fig. 4, in which the cam roll 90 is engaged against the inner surface of the cam slot 92, and to be held in this position against the pressure of the spring 98 by means of a gripper throw-out mechanism hereinafter more fully to be described.

The gripper jaw 82 is pivotally mounted on a pin I00 on the carrier cam lever 84. As will be evident from an inspection of Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, the stud I00 about which the movable gripper jaw 82 turns, is mounted on the extreme forward end of the carrier cam lever 84, and a considerable distance forwardly of the sewing point, to permit the movable jaw 82 to be moved downwardly to the work engaging position shown in Figs. 4 and 'L'directly in front of the welt guide I9, without danger of striking the same. It will be noted also that the upper engaging face of the cooperating gripper jaw is sloped rearwardly at a substantial angle, and moves about the pivotal center provided by the stud 86 downwardly and rearwardly to insure the engagement of the upper between the jaws 80 and 82 at a point as close as possible to the base of the sewing rib. The gripper acts during its upward movement to impart an overdraw as well as an updraw movement to the engaged portion of the upper.

The mechanism for moving the movable jaw 82 between its work engaging and open positions with relation to the gripper jaw 80, comprises a cam lever I02 pivotally mounted intermediate its length on a pivot shaft I04, and a link I06 having at its forward end a pivotal connection I08 with the movable gripper jaw 82, and at its rear end a yieldable connection with the forwardly extending arm of the cam lever I02. The yieldable connection is provided for the purpose of imparting a yielding gripping action to the jaw 82 to grip the work, and comprises specifically a transverse pin I09 secured to the cam lever I02 which engages with a slot H0 in the link I06. A tension spring II2 connected at one end to the link I06, and at its other end to the pin I09, tends normally to maintain the link I06 in a fully retracted position with relation to the cam lever I02. It will be noted further that the parts are constructed and arranged to cause the pivotal connection between the link I06 and the cam lever I02 to be located substantially on the longitudinal axis of the carrier cam lever 88, so

that the oscillatory movement of the carrier cam lever moving the gripper jaws toward and away from the work will have substantially no effect upon the operation of the connections for opening and closing the movable gripper jaw 82. The

rearwardly extending arm of the cam lever I02 carries a roll II6 which engages in a closed cam groove formed in one face of a cam disk II8 secured to the cam shaft 96 of the machine.

Further in accordance with the invention, an automatically operated mechanism is provided which performs the two functions of controlling the vertical adjustment of the channel guide with relation to the stitch forming devices, and of throwing the side lasting gripper mechanism into and out of active operation during the progress of the sewing operation about the sole margin of the shoe. This mechanism comprises a cam I20 on the pattern cam shaft 44 and a cam lever I22 supported on a vertical pivot shaft I24, andprovided with a roll I26 for engagement with the cam I251. The cam lever I22 is connected by means of a link I28 with one arm of a bell-crank lever I30, the other arm of which is connected by a link I32 with a lever arm I34 rigidly secured to a horizontally extending rock shaft I36 mounted in the machine head. Also secured to the rock shaft I36 is a forwardly extending channel guide control lever I38 which is arranged for engagement against the bottom face of a notch I40 in the channel guide supporting slide 52. Rocking movement of the rock shaft I36 and control lever I38 to the extreme position in a counterclockwise direction, acts to bring the control lever I38 into engagement with the under side of the notch I40, and to depress the slide 52 and channel guide 26 to the abnormally low position shown in Fig. 2

Booking movement of the shaft I36 is employed also to move the side lasting gripper mechanism into and out of active operation through connections which comprise a gripper throw-out lever I42" loosely sleeved on the rock shaft I36, and arranged for engagement with an upwardly extending arm M4 formed in the hub of the carrier cam lever 83. The sleeve hub of the throw-out lever I42 has formed in the face thereof, a pair of lugs Mt which engage within correspondingly slotted portions I48 in the hub of the channel guide control lever I38, the slots I48 being of somewhat greater width than the lugs I46 to provide for a limited amount of lost motion between these parts. A torsion spring I56 coiled about the sleeve hub of the throw-out lever I42, and connected at one end to the lever and at its other end to the channel guide control lever I38 acts to rock the throwout lever I42 in a counterclockwise direction to a fully extended position with relation to the control lever I38 and rock shaft I36.

The operation of these connections to control the position of the channel guide 20 and for throwing the gripper mechanism into and out of active operation, will be briefly described as follows: In the stop position of the machine, illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the rock shaft I36 has been shifted to the extreme limit of its movement in a counterclockwise direction in which the channel guide control lever I38 has been brought into engagement with the bottom face of the slot I40 to depress the channel guide 20 to its extreme low position. For this position of the parts, the throw-out lever I42 has been brought into engagement with the arm I44 to rock the carrier cam lever 84 in a clockwise direotion against the pressure of its spring 98, so that the follower roll 90 is engaged against the inner periphery of the closed cam slot 92, and the gripper jaws 80 and 82 are shifted to their raised inoperative position. For this stop position of the parts in which the channel guide is fully depressed, the rock shaft I37 will have been rocked a sufficient distance in a counterclockwise direction to take up the lost motion provided between the rock shaft I36 and the throw-out lever I32 against the pressure of the torsion spring I50. When the machine is started, and during the formation of the initial stitches of the seam, the rock shaft I36 is gradually rocked in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 2, causing the channel guide to be gradually raised to normal operating position determinedby the engagement of the under side of the slot I56 with the under side of the eccentric cam 65. During this initial rocking movement, the throwout lever I42 is retained in its throw-out position by the action of the torsion sprin I50. Continued movement of the rock shaft I36 in a clockwise direction new acts through the lost motion connectionprovided by lugs I46 and slots 48 to positively move the throw-out lever I42 out of engagement with the lever arm I44, thus permitting the gripper jaws 86 and 82 to move downwardly into work engaging position under the pressure of the spring 98. This is the position of the gripper mechanism in Fig. 4. The side lasting grippers continue in active operation during the transfer of the operation along the side portion of the shoe. As the toe portion of the shoe is reached, the rock shaft I33 is again rocked in a counterclockwise direction through a distance which is sufficient to cause the throw-out lever I42 to be shifted to its throw-out position under the influence of the spring I5!) to move the carrier cam lever 84. and gripper jaws 8!] and 82 supported thereon out of engagement with the work, this movement. of the rock shaft I36, however, being insuificient to bring the channel guide control lever I38 into operative engagement with the bottom face of the slot I40. This is the position illustrated in Fig. 8. At the completion of the operation about the toe, the shaft I36 is rocked in a clockwise direction to the extreme position shown in Fig. 4, to again throw the side lasting gripper mechanism into active position. At the completion of the operation on the shoe, and during the sewing of the final stitches of the seam, the rock shaft I36 is again rocked in a counterclockwise direction first to render the side lasting gripper mechanism inoperative, and thereafter to gradually depress the channel guide to its extreme low position, so that the needle is again caused to strike into the work at an abnormally high level during the formation of these stitches.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment shown, and that various deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic shoe sewing and lasting machine having inseam shoe sewing mechanism including a curved hook needle, a channel guide and a welt guide, a shoe supporting jack, and automatic supporting and actuating means for the jack, a side lasting gripper located and arranged to engage and to draw in successive portions of the upper in the same transverse plane with and against the support of the channel guide and welt guide, said gripper comprising a jaw supported for movement downwardly between the upper and the sewing rib substantially to the base thereof, and a cooperating jaw pivotally mounted on said first-mentioned jaw for swinging movement to grip the upper between said jaws.

2. In an automatic shoe sewing and lasting machine having inseam shoe sewing mechanism including a curved. hook needle, a channel guide and a welt guide, a shoe supporting jack, and automatic supporting and actuating means for the jack, a side lasting gripper located and arranged to engage with and draw in successive portions of the upper in the same transverse plane with and against the support of the channel guide and welt guide, said gripper comprising jaws, and supporting and actuating means for the jaws including a support on which one of said jaws is supported for movement downwardly between the upper and the sewing rib substantially to the base thereof and in front of the welt guide, and a pivoted gripper cooperating therewith having the pivot located with relation to the first-mentioned gripper to permit closing of the gripper in said extreme down position clear of the welt guide.

3. In an automatic shoe sewing and lasting machine having inseam shoe sewing mechanism including a curved hook needle, a channel guide and a welt guide, a shoe supporting jack, and automatic supporting and actuating means for the jack, a side lasting gripper located and arranged to engage with and draw in successive portions of the upper which comprises a jaw, a support on which said jaw is supported for movement downwardly between the upper and the sewing rib at the front side of the welt guide, and a cooperating jaw pivoted on said support, said pivot being located forwardly of said firstmentiqjned gripper whereby said pivoted jaw moves at a substantial angle downwardly and clear of the welt guide to its upper gripping position.

4. In a machine for sewing and lasting, the combination of sewing mechanism arranged for sewing together an insole and the associated upper and welt, having in combination stitch forming devices, including a curved hook needle, a channel guide, and a welt guide, a lasting gripper comprising jaws arranged to engage and to impart an updraw movement to the upper, said gripper being constructed and arranged to permit movement of said jaws in open position downward between the channel guide and the welt guide substantially to the base of the sewing rib, and to permit the closing of said jaws upon that portion of the upper located directly in front of the welt guide and extending from substantially the base of the sewing rib, and means for actuating the gripper to tension the upper in timed relation to the operation of the stitch forming devices.

5. In a machine for sewing and lasting, the combination of inseam sewing mechanism arranged for sewing together an insole and the associated upper and welt having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a curved hook needle, a channel guide, and a welt guide, a lasting gripper device arranged to engage with and impart an updraw movement to that portion of the upper located immediately in front of the welt guide, comprising a carrier cam lever pivotally supported above and at a substantial distance to the rear of the sewing point, an actuating cam engaging said carrier cam lever, a gripper jaw fixed to the carrier lever and having the upper engaging face thereof arranged to project downwardly and rearwardly between the shoe and the upper substantially to the base of the sewing rib, a movable gripper jaw pivoted on the carrier lever substantially above and forwardly of the sewing point, the construction and arrangement of said gripper device being such that the movable gripper jaw is movable from an open to a closed upper gripping position at the front side of the welt guide, and cam and follower connections for opening and closing the movable gripper jaw.

6. In a lasting and sewing machine, the coup bination of inseam sewing mechanism arranged for sewing together an insole and the associated upper and Welt, including a sewing cam shaft, a curved hook needle, a channel guide and a welt guide, a lasting gripper comprising gripper jaws arranged to engage and to impart an updraw movement to the upper, a carrier cam lever on which one of the jaws is rigidly supported for movement downwardly between the insole and upper substantially to the base of the sewing rib, and substantially in line between the channel guide and welt guide, a pivotal support for the carrier cam lever located above and to the rear of the sewing point, a cam on the cam shaft engaging said carrier cam lever, a pivotal mounting for the other of said jaws on the carrier cam lever, and cam and follower connections from the cam shaft for moving said other jaw between open and closed positions.

'7. In a lasting and sewing machine, the combination of inseam sewing mechanism arranged for sewing together an insole and the associated upper and welt, including a sewing cam shaft, a curved hook needle, a channel guide and a welt guide, a lasting gripper comprising gripper jaws arranged'to engage and to impart an updraw movement to the upper, a carrier ca-m lever on which one of the jaws'is rigidly supported for movement downwardly between the insole and upper substantially to the base of the sewing rib, and substantially in line between the channel guide and welt guide, a pivotal support for the carrier cam lever located above and to the rear of the sewing point, a cam on the cam shaft engaging said carrier cam lever, and spring means for supporting th cam lever against its cam, said parts being arranged to impart a yielding down-draw and positive updraw movement to the gripper, a pivotal mounting for the other of said jaws on the carrier cam lever, and cam and follower connections from the cam shaft for moving said other jaw between open and closed positions.

8. In a lasting and sewing machine, the combination of inseam sewing mechanism arranged for sewing together an insole and the associated upper and welt, including a sewing cam shaft, a curved hook needle, achannel guide and a welt guide, a lasting gripper comprising gripper jaws arranged to engage and to impart an updraw movement to the upper, a carrier cam lever on which one of the jaws is rigidly supported for movement downwardly between the insole and upper substantially to th base of the sewing rib, and substantially in line between the channel guide and welt guide, a pivotal support for the carrier cam lever located above and to the rear of the sewing point, a cam on the cam shaft engaging said carrier cam lever, a pivotal mounting for the other of said jaws on the carrier cam lever, and cam and follower connections from the cam shaft for moving said other jaw between open and closed positions, said connections including a yieldable connection adapted for imparting yielding gripping action to said other jaw.

9. In a lasting and sewing machine, the combination of inseam sewing mechanism arranged for sewing together an insole and the associated upper and welt, including a sewing cam shaft, a curved hook needle, a channel guide and a welt guide, a lasting gripper comprising gripper jaws arranged to engage and to impart an updraw movement to the upper, a carrier cam lever on which one of the jaws is rigidly supported for movement downwardly between the insole and upper substantially to the base of the sewing rib, and substantially in line between the channel guide and welt guide, a pivotal support for the carrier cam lever located above and to the rear of the sewing point, a cam on the cam shaft engaging said carrier cam lever, a pivotal mounting for the other of said jaws on the carrier cam lever, and cam and follower connections from the cam shaft for moving said other jaw between open and closed positions, said cam and follower connections comprising a cam lever, and a link so arranged that the pivotal connection between the link and the cam lever is located substantially on the axis of rotation of the carrier cam lever.

10. In an automatic machine for sewing and lasting, an inseam sewing mechanism arranged for sewing together an insole and associated upper and welt, including a curved hook needle, a channel guide and a welt guide, and a lasting gripper comprising jaws arranged to engage the upper close to the sewing point, a shoe supporting jack, supporting and actuating mechanism for the jack arranged to present the shoe to the sewing mechanism and to transfer the point of operation about the shoe, including a pattern cam shaft, means for shifting the relative position of the channel guide and needle to vary the depth at which the needle strikes into the work, means for rendering the lasting gripper operative and inoperative to engage the upper, and means including a cam on the pattern cam shaft, and connections therefrom operative during the transfer of the point of operation about the toe portion of the shoe to render said lasting gripper inoperative, and further operative during the formation of those stitches of the seam adjacent the breast line of the heel to relatively shift the channel guide and needle to cause the needl to strike into the work at an abnormally high level.

11. In an automatic machine for sewing and lasting, an inseam sewing mechanism arranged for sewing together an insole and associated upper and welt, including a curved hook needle, a channel guide and a welt guide, and a lasting gripper comprising jaws arranged to engage the upper close to the sewing point, a shoe supporting jack, supporting and actuating mechanism for the jack arranged to present the shoe to the sewing mechanism and to transfer the point of operation'about the shoe, including a pattern cam shaft, means for shifting the relative position of the channel guide and needle tovary the depth atwhich the needle strikes into the work, means for rendering the lasting gripper operative and inoperative to engage the upper, and means'including a cam on the pattern cam shaft and an operating control element shiftable by said cam to one position to render said lasting gripper inoperative and shiftable by said cam to a second position to depress the channel guide to cause the needle to strike into the work at an abnormally high level during the-formation of the initial and final stitches of the seam.

12. In an automatic machine for sewing and lasting, an inseam sewing mechanism arranged for sewing together an insole and associated upper and welt, including a curved hook needle, a

channel guide and a welt guide, and a lasting gripper comprising jaws arranged to engage the upper 'close to the sewing point, a shoe supporting jack, automatic mechanism for supporting and actuating the jack arranged to present the shoe to the sewing mechanism and to element to one position to render said lasting gripper inoperative, and a second connection rendered operative by the continued movement of said control element to a second position to depress the channel guide.

13. In an automatic machine for sewing and lasting, an inseam sewing mechanism arranged 'for sewing together an insole and associated upper and welt, including a curved hook needle, a channel guide and a welt guide, and a lasting gripper comprising jaws arranged to engage the upper clos to the sewing point, a shoe supporting jack, automatic mechanism for supporting and actuating the jack arranged to present the shoe to the sewing mechanism and to transfer the point of operation about the shoe, means for moving the channel guide vertically to an abnormally low position relative to the needle, means for rendering the lasting gripper operative and inoperative to engage the upper, a rock shaft under the control of said automatic mechanism, a lasting gripper throw-out lever having a yielding connection with said rock shaft, and a channel guide control lever secured to said rock shaft, the arrangement of said parts being such that a rocking movement of said shaft to one position will operate to throw-out the gripper mechanism, and a'further rocking movement of said rock shaft in the same direction will operate additionally to depress the channel guide.

ALFRED R. MORRILL. 

